Emergency pilots blinded by laser pointer

Pilot tells 40/29 laser flashes blinded him for minutes in the air

Emergency pilots often land in tight, difficult conditions to transport critical patients to the hospital. Recently, they have had to battle an added danger - laser pointer flashes.

Andy Anderson, an emergency pilot with Air Evac Lifeteam based in Springdale was blinded by a laser last year transporting a patient to a Springfield hospital. The laser temporarily blinded him, forcing him to circle for five minutes until he regained his vision. The delay also kept the patient from medical care longer.

"We have a motto - every second counts," Anderson said.

Laser flashes spiked in the last year. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported more than 3800 incidents in 2012, an increase of 26-percent since the previous year.

Flashing a laser at an aircraft is a federal crime, carrying an $11,000 fine. Some of the offenders caught in 2012, also received jail time. The FAA is pushing to increase the fine to $30,000.

Copyright 2013 by KHBS and The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.